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Should my Long Beach Rental Become a Smart Rental?

Dustin Edwards • May 08, 2020

5 Smart Items to Consider for Your Long Beach Rental

Can Your Long Beach Rental Become a Smart Rental?
Renters have choices when they look to rent a property in Long Beach. Even as a mature city there are new apartment developments and freshly renovated homes for renters to choose from and attracting the best tenants often means your property needs to stand out among the sea of choices that are possible; especially when you want to garner a great rental rate. One aspect to consider to make your rental stand out from the crowd of choices is making your rental a Smart rental.

A Smart rental is one that integrates common appliances and functions with Smart hubs such as Alexa, Google, and Ring. You may think “well no one really needs that” but it isn’t so much about “need” as adding a great convenience for your tenant that keeps them happy for years to come. To help you see what is possible for your Smart rental we invite you to consider the following elements:

Smart Thermostat
This is one of the most common upgrades to make a property a Smart property as the thermostat can be used with even older AC/heating systems. One of the most popular is certainly the NEST system which integrates easily with Google’s systems. Products, like a NEST thermostat, optimize the heating and cooling needs far beyond just temperature guidelines as they can detect movement in a house for additional optimizations. An added benefit is one can control the temperature from a phone giving the tenant additional flexibility to control temperatures.

Smart Door Locks
One of the most common calls a property management company receives is regarding keys. Especially if you are managing your own property, taking time to invest in a smart door lock could save you many calls and the time required to organize a locksmith at the property. While there are many solutions possible consider a smart door lock system that integrates with an existing deadbolt to minimize investment and maximize the benefit. Systems such as those from August provide multiple versions that you can control from your phone and it can track who is using the digital keys. These systems can also come in very handy when it comes time to allow a handyman or other trade service in the property.

Smart Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans probably aren’t one of the items in a rental that you put thought into...especially about making them smart. Ceiling fans though are a great way to help tenants optimize the temperature in your rental property and help keep the lifespan of your AC system going longer. Recently manufacturers have introduced smart ceiling fans allowing you the ability to control the ceiling fan from a mobile app (i.e. Hunter fans have a SIMPLEConnect app) or by using systems such as Alexa, Google Assistant, etc. 

Smart Sprinkler
A great looking yard makes for a happy tenant and attracts great tenants should one leave. To help keep your yard looking great and help your tenant optimize their water bill consider adding a smart sprinkler. For example the Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler integrates a hyperlocal Weather Intelligence™ that takes into consideration 270,000 personal weather stations to ensure you are using water when it counts vs. just after a rain. With innovative water monitoring plus integration with systems such as Alexa, Nest, Google Assistant and more this is one of those items that should most certainly be on your list as you evaluate your landscaping.  

Smart Lighting
Tenants that feel like your rental is their home stay longer. You can enable smart lighting that ranges from security lights to landscape lighting. Effective security lighting and landscape lighting can help tenants feel at ease with those daily tasks such as taking out the trash cans or getting home late with groceries. Smart lighting systems from Ring easily integrate with Alexa making it a nice addition to the other smart features. 

Making your rental a smart rental is an approach to help you differentiate your rental on the market. When you want to find out if your rental would benefit from smart features we invite you to call us today (562) 888-0247 and we can share our experience. If you want to have a quick check to see how much your property could fetch in rent we invite you to fill out our Free Rental Analysis where we perform a comprehensive comparison to share your rental stacks up to the competition.

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By Dustin Edwards 01 May, 2024
Everyone wants to feel safe in their homes. As an investment property owner, it's up to you to decide whether or not to include security measures in your property. Many of the costs associated with the security measures can be included in the rent, meaning not only can you keep your property safe, but you can earn more income in the long run. However, you would still want your tenants to have renters insurance to protect their assets. Today, we’ll discuss the top five security measures you can add to your property and why they're beneficial to you and your tenant. Security Cameras Cameras are probably one of the first security measures people think about when asked about security. Cameras provide more benefits than just surveillance. They provide an extra level of security for the safety of the tenants and their belongings. Additionally, security cameras can be useful when repairs are required. Cameras can aid in supervising repairs and maintenance to ensure you’re receiving the agreed-upon work. During vacancies when the property is empty, security cameras can help keep the property safe from potential intruders. Doorbell cameras are incredibly popular now. They provide the aforementioned safety of a camera that can be accessed remotely, as well as the ability to communicate with visitors. Although one must be careful never to say you're not home, just say you're unavailable to strangers. Security Lights Security lights with motion detectors are another effective tool when adding security measures to your property. These lights brightly if a potential intruder attempts to get near your home. They can provide enough illumination to see the intruder or, at the very least, scare them off. Nowadays, you can find a combination of security cameras and motion-activated security lights, such as the floodlight cam wired plus from Ring . Additionally, because these lights only turn on when motion is detected, they’re more cost-effective than traditional lights with a switch. Illuminate the Property Light generally deters intruders as it's more difficult to hide. Adding lighting to the landscaping can increase the security of the property while creating a relaxing atmosphere. Lights can also be used in other areas of the property to accent features such as trees, benches, or artwork. This can help your property stand out while giving your tenants an additional feeling of safety. Keyless Entry Keyless entry is seen as both a convenience feature and a security feature. They usually use an electronic passcode, biometric data, or grant access through a smartphone app. Physical keys can be lost, stolen, or duplicated. You reduce the risk of unauthorized entry by eliminating the need for a physical key to enter the property. Many keyless entry systems include several features, such as remote locking and monitoring. Although keyless entry is a great new technology for keeping your tenants and properties safe, they’re best used with other security systems. Security Company Nothing beats having an extra pair of eyes on your property for security. This is where security companies like ADT and SimpliSafe come in. While companies may deal with security in varying ways, they aim to protect your investment. While safety is the primary role of a security company, remember that many tenants may be willing to pay more for a premium amenity like a home security company. Keeping your property and tenants safe is incredibly important to the longevity of an investment property. If you’re looking to improve the security of your Long Beach rental property or need help managing your beach city rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or fill out our Owner Application online .
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